north. dial. Also 6 wywer. [Identical with waver, wafer, wefer, † waiver, † wayver, † weaver, in WAVER sb.1, SIDE-WAVER, and Northumb. dial. inwaver, inwiver (in sense a).] A long beam of wood. a. in the roof of a house; in † wiver-tree, SIDE-WAVER, top wiver. b. in a boat (see quot. 1894).
c. 1325. Gloss. W. de Bibbesw., in Wright, Voc., 170. Amont heceler mettez la poutre [glossed the wiver-tre].
1532. in Priory of Finchale (Surtees), 445/2. [Timber at Durham sawn into] wywers, rybbs, wynd balks.
1641. [see SIDE-WAVER 1].
1641. Best, Farm. Bks. (Surtees), 148. They will sowe downe theire thatch in lower places, viz.; first close to the very wall plates, then two foote belowe the side wivers, then two foote above the side wivers, and lastly aboute a yarde or more belowe the rigge-tree.
1894. Northumbld. Gloss., Wivere, a long beam. The top wivere is the wind-balk or collar beam in a housetop. The side wivere is the long beam on which frame-houses formerly rested. (Obs.) [Misprinted winere.] Ibid., Wiver, one of the timbers or wales of a boat on which the seats rest.
